Job Securing Tip #2: Increase Your Visibility
The era of the little-seen golf course superintendent is over because today’s economic pressures require golf course superintendents to be out front to sell and defend their programs. Out of sight can quickly translate into being out of a job in today’s economy.
“Campaign” like a successful first-term mayor who has to run for re-election next year…
Accordingly, increased visibility is a key to job survival. The necessities of today’s job market suggest that golf course superintendents should “campaign” like a successful first-term mayor who has to run for re-election next year; i.e., don’t over do it, but be out front, educate and engage your constituents. Following are suggested ways to expand your job visibility:
1. Dedicate several hours a week to spending time at the first tee on weekends and sometimes during the week briefly engaging golfers before they tee-off; i.e., basically, show interest without being a distraction.
2. Schedule “open house” visits to your maintenance facility several times a year (i.e., similar to the way the local firehouses do, etc.) for Board and committee members and for the families and children playing your course. Develop these open 
house visits into memorable “teachable moments.” Create a “buzz” about your program.
3. Play golf with members/players via a weekly “sign up to play with the superintendent” format where the pace and comfort-ability of your game will be more important than your score. Invite and answer questions about your program before, during and after these rounds; i.e., create additional “teachable moments” without delaying play on the course.
4. Minimize your “CEO” role. Rather, be seen taking more of a leadership role out on the golf course; i.e., to the point where an assistant’s job might be phased out the next time the job opens. (The economy might dictate this move in any event.) FYI – virtually every survey taken for years has indicated that employers (Board and committee members, owner-operators, etc.) prefer to have their golf course superintendents spend more time on the golf course and less time in their office.
5. Attend and report at Board Of Director meetings where “teachable moments” will abound. (See my August 13th blog entitled, “Get To The Board Meeting.”)
6. Initiate a personal blog to create an interactive teaching medium to connect you with your Board/committee members and those playing your golf course as suggested by Chris Lecour’s (The Raven at Lora Bay, Ontario, Canada) TurfNetTV video on the subject.
Teachable moments are one of the more effective ways to enhance your job security because they present you in a most favorable (highly visible) light…
Teachable moments are one of the more effective ways to enhance your job security because they present you in a most favorable (highly visible) light. Identify and cherish these opportunities. Remember, no one is respected more than an effective teacher.
Superintendents, want to help your assistant(s) on their career path? Print out these Career Corner posts and responses on an ongoing basis and assemble them in a hard copy binder for your assistants and crew.